Comet
Harvey Wallbanger
Isn't worrying about whether one is self-centered rather self-centered in itself?
How true, how true! (and I love your new signature! Great show)
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Isn't worrying about whether one is self-centered rather self-centered in itself?
Ðanisty;942055 said:What's the point? We should all be self-centered. That doesn't mean we shouldn't care about others...just that we should take care of ourselves first. If we don't, then position are we in to help anyway?
Taking care of yourself first doesn't really have anything to do with caring about others. If you don't make yourself a priority, who will? You're free to care as much or as little about others as you want. I just think it's best that you make sure that doesn't interfere with taking care of yourself.doppelgänger;942058 said:How far should "take care of ourselves first" be taken? Is there a clear divide between taking care of myself and not caring about others?
This is off-topic, but to me that's exactly what "being in love"means: caring for another as much as you care for yourself.Ðanisty;942063 said:Taking care of yourself first doesn't really have anything to do with caring about others. If you don't make yourself a priority, who will? You're free to care as much or as little about others as you want. I just think it's best that you make sure that doesn't interfere with taking care of yourself.
Ðanisty;942063 said:If you don't make yourself a priority, who will?
Ðanisty;942063 said:You're free to care as much or as little about others as you want.
I know people who will, but I don't count on that. Everyone should take responsibility for themselves and I feel not taking care of yourself before everyone else is irresponsible. Besides, even those generous people eventually run out of giving. There's only so far people can stretch themselves.doppelgänger;942065 said:Good question. You can't think of anyone?
This is not quite what I'm talking about. I think there's a difference between not caring about others and actually harming others.doppelgänger;942065 said:I don't disagree, I just want to explore the implications of what it means to be sure to take care of one's self first. If I can make a lot of money polluting a local water supply, and buy my way out of trouble for a lot less than I'll make, should I do it? Even though I know it will result in poisoning thousands of families and their children?
Then we have different definitions. There's no way I can be a good wife if I don't take care of myself...it won't matter how much I do for my husband. Also, I make a distinction between loving someone and being in love with someone.This is off-topic, but to me that's exactly what "being in love"means: caring for another as much as you care for yourself.
Ðanisty;942078 said:This is not quite what I'm talking about. I think there's a difference between not caring about others and actually harming others.
Well, my statement doesn't mean not caring for yourself.Ðanisty;942080 said:Then we have different definitions. There's no way I can be a good wife if I don't take care of myself...it won't matter how much I do for my husband. Also, I make a distinction between loving someone and being in love with someone.
Some people will choose that and it's exactly why we have to take care of ourselves first. I can't count on anyone else to choose what's good for me.doppelgänger;942081 said:Is it always clear that my self-centered actions aren't harming anyone? What if I simply choose not to think about it?
Realize that nothing in the world is ours not even our bodies because we cannot take anything when we die. Realize that we are all brothers and sisters in spirit and therefore equal.
Ðanisty;942084 said:Some people will choose that and it's exactly why we have to take care of ourselves first. I can't count on anyone else to choose what's good for me.
I think that's the world we live in.doppelgänger;942087 said:You think everyone should approach the world this way?
Ðanisty;942091 said:I think that's the world we live in.
I'm not sure what you're getting at because I feel you're misrepresenting what I'm saying. Please don't lawyer me. I'm saying that if you don't take care of yourself first then you aren't going to be able to help others and there's never any guarantee that others will care about you as much as you care about yourself, even people you think should care that much.. This isn't such a radical concept. In fact, people generally agree that if mothers aren't mentally and physically healthy and caring for themselves, there's no way they can care for their children properly. Whether or not you care about others has nothing to do with caring for yourself first. If you want to care for others, you can do so, but not at your own expense. Then you're just a burden anyway instead of the help that you wanted to be.doppelgänger;942097 said:Should anyone act other than primarily out of self-interest if anybody else does not?
Suppose you wanted to become less self-centered. What would be the best way to go about doing that? Why?
It kicks me into "survival mode." That may make me more concerned about my own physical self, but the alternative is to be stupid and check out early, in which case I'm surely of use to no one.Does being in pain make you more or make you less self-centered?
It depends. I've seen some pretty weird expressions of "love". The real deal, yeah, that will cause one to be less self-centered. The twisted variety goes in the opposite direction.Does being in love make you more or make you less self-centered?
It depends on the goal. Is the goal of doing something purely self-aggrandizement? Or is there something more to it? I'm working on a Ph.D. at the moment. I could be doing that for "bragging rights" or I could be doing that because I hope to learn something that might be of assistance to people.Does doing something you are passionate about make you more or make you less self-centered?
Ah, the age old question posed by Polonius' statement. It's true then -- all human wisdom has been summed up in the pages of Hamlet.Does being true to yourself make you more or make you less self-centered?
:sarcasticÐanisty;942106 said:Please don't lawyer me.